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December 30, 2011

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is enjoying this holiday season!
We have spent the last week with family and friends and I have been nowhere near my computer or my camera for that matter. It has been a nice break for me and I am loving the extra time I have had each night to spend with the kids as they are enjoying all the new things Santa left under the tree.

Right now we are getting ready to head North to Cape Cod to visit our family and spend New Year's with them. Reagan and I were the first two awake this morning and she helped me go through the hat and glove box as I packed for our trip.

As you can see, someone is very excited to see "Grammy, Pops, and all of her Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins!!!

December 23, 2011

Our card this year was a trifold and opened like a book. Since you can't really see the inside spread above, I decided to attach the three photos so you could see the detail!!!

This is my last post before Christmas as I intend on taking a bit of a break to enjoy the holidays with my family. I plan to get back onto a regular blogging schedule again after the holidays come and go.

I hope that you all have the most wonderful and magical holiday season.

This has been an amazing ride....
I am not sure what is more full, my heart or "Their Stockings".
We still have a few days until Christmas, but I have already been given my gift.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to each and every one of you that has supported, given back, and ultimately made a difference for the children of China this holiday season. I am so very grateful for your generosity. What I have witnessed the last few weeks has been magical.

I also need to thank two very special and amazing ladies, Diana and Stefanie, who I could not be more proud to have had by my side throughout this event. It has been so much fun supporting each other and cheering each other on each day. I will surely miss the constant emails and chatter, but I will be looking forward to what the 2012 Fill Their Stockings has in store for us!

On behalf of the staff at Half the Sky, thank you for making this an incredible and successful event.

Wishing you all the very best this Holiday Season~

{These photos were taken at the Chenzhou Social Welfare Institute last October when we visited. I am happy to report that a few of these beautiful children have been matched with forever families and are now home.}

December 21, 2011

Before I start, I need to say that I am beside myself after witnessing and watching this entire event unfold, but the last two days have been extraordinarily special to me as I watched the donations come in because of the photos that I took on my journey to China. Those photos truly will hold my memories of China for a lifetime. I do not sell those photos and I never intend to, they are mine..... and this was a special gift that I wanted to share with someone that found them as beautiful, intriguing, and filled with as many memories as I do.

Yesterday was more than a little emotional as I saw the thermometer get pushed over the top.
The photos brought in $1935 in donations and as of this morning we have raised $5,715 through this event for Half the Sky and the children in their programs!!!!
You all have "helped me, help them" and together, we have officially exceeded the goal for this event.
I am completely blown away by the willingness to give back this holiday season.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

So here we go my friends..... The very last item that will be featured and given away as part of
"Fill Their Stockings With Hope".

I think you will be excited by today's featured item as many of you are collectors of this beautiful line of jewelry.

If you are not familiar with Pandora, take a few minutes to explore their website, by clicking HERE.
Trust me, you will be addicted, as so many are when it comes to these beautiful bracelets and necklaces.

They have hundreds of different charms/beads so you can personalize and design your own look.
The possibilities are endless. Just take a look at some of their creations I found while exploring their site.

Stunning pieces, aren't they?

Would you like an opportunity to win this $100 Gift Card to buy yourself or someone special a pretty and posh piece of pandora jewelry?

Here is what you need to do:

We ask that you consider making a donation of $5.00 or more.
If you choose to donate, simply use our "CLICK TO DONATE" button below and you will be directed to the Half The Sky donation page that was set up for this event. Your donations are going directly to Half The Sky, which is a non profit organization that makes a difference in the lives of many children that reside in orphanages throughout China. It is also possible to enter without donating. To do that, leave a comment that includes your name and email address so we can contact you should you win. All winners must have a shipping address in the United States or Canada.

This is it..... your last chance to give back to the children that are still in China waiting for forever families. I know that a donation is not required, but I ask you(okay beg you)to please consider it. Every dollar donated makes a difference to these children.You have until 11:59pm Eastern Time, Thursday December 22nd to give.

A special note: All donations made to Half the Sky at this time will be matched by Jenny Bowen, the founder of Half The Sky and two of their Board Members. Jenny has recently won the 2011 Purpose Prize and has decided to match all contributions made to their foundation until they accumulate $375,000
How exciting and generous is that?
You can see Jenny's video HERE.
What an inspiring and amazing woman.

Good luck and a special THANK YOU to the giving adoptive Mom who wishes to remain nameless, but so graciously donated this gift card. Without people like you, this event could not have taken place.

Please be sure to check in on Stefanie and Diana to see the final items they are featuring for this event...you won't want to miss out.

The winners of this week's featured items will be announced on Friday!

December 19, 2011

On October 16, 2010, I boarded a plane that was going to take me halfway across the world to meet our daughter for the very first time. My head and my heart were swirling with excitement and anticipation. The time had finally come. It was a day I had been dreaming about for over five years. I knew it was going to be an incredible two weeks, but it was even more than that......

It was a two weeks that will always be etched in my memory, but something happened in those two weeks that changed me forever.

Of course I was head over heels in love with my beautiful new daughter who was placed in my arms within the first 24 hours of arriving. We spent our days getting to know each other and exploring her country, her people, her customs and culture. I was mesmerized by it all.

Our time in China seemed to fly by. As we packed our bags to leave, I felt overcome with sadness. I was anxious to come home and be reunited with my husband, children, the rest of our family, and close friends, but at the same time, I was not ready to say goodbye to my daughter's country. I saw so many things that pulled hard at my heart and raised many questions in my mind.

The next day, as the plane pulled away from the gate, I held Reagan tightly in my arms. My heart was heavy and tears ran down my face. I made a promise to her and to myself that one day we would return to her motherland and no matter what, I was going to try to keep in communication with her orphanage and possibly try to help them and the children that are still residing in China.

A month after we were home, I was contacted by Half the Sky.
I journal-ed our trip and somehow a link to my blog was passed to someone on staff.
After reading my posts and viewing my photos, they could tell that there was a giant piece of my heart and myself that still remained in China. They wanted to know if I would be interested in doing some volunteer work for their organization. I think it took all of ten seconds for me to reply with a "yes". I felt that this was definitely a way that I could giveback and maybe make the slightest difference for some of these children.

In January of 2011, I kicked off the first of a series of photography classes that would benefit China's children through Half the Sky. I donated a large portion of each class enrollment to Half the Sky. It was a very successful year and I thought I was done for 2011 when I offered my last round of classes in September.

As the holidays approached, I felt like we needed to do more....or something special for Christmas.
Which is when "Fill Their Stockings With Hope" was born.

Stefanie, Diana, and I reached out to everyone for help in November and were asking for items that people were willing to donate for our cause. I wanted to contribute, but I was not sure what I could offer.......

Then I remembered a few of my favorite photos from China... the very photos filled with many memories that prompted my conversations with Half The Sky and ultimately led me to do some volunteer work for them.

There was the beautiful bridge in Martyrs Park in Changsha(Hunan Province)that has captivated many.
I remember this day like it was yesterday. Marla and I walked all over that park, Reagan on my chest in the Ergo, our cameras were snapping away trying to capture every last detail of all that surrounded us. It was one of our favorite site-seeing trips. The people were so friendly and would stop and pose their children so we could take their photos.

This intriguing girl who was sitting on pile of rubble while eating her lunch on BieJie Street in Chenzhou City just a few yards away from Reagan's finding place and down the street from the Chenzhou SWI. Her presence literally stopped me in my tracks.

I remember looking at this young girl and wondering if this could be a glimpse into Reagan's life had she not ended up in the orphanage. We were passing many school children on the street that day as it was lunchtime and they were on break. They were all in some sort of uniform, this girl was not. If I had to guess, she did not go to school. I think her parents owned the shop she was sitting in front of and she probably stayed there with them all day.

These photos totally captivate me. Her clothes, the jump rope around her neck, the bowl of rice in her hands, the chopsticks, and if you really zoom in, you can even see the dirt on her hands.
When they say that "a picture is worth a thousand words", they are not kidding.
So many thoughts evoked by these two photos of this Chenzhou beauty.

I find all three of these photos so very special and my hope is that maybe a few of you do too.

So, if you are still with me..... this is what I you have an opportunity to win.

You will get to choose one of the three photos in this post, and I will have an 18 x 24 inch canvas printed and shipped directly to you.

If you are not sure what a canvas print looks like, click HERE to see a few photos I recently had converted to canvas. THEY ARE GORGEOUS! No frame needed, just a nail and a hammer and you are good to go.
It is like a beautiful piece of art hanging on your wall.

Could you see one of these photos hanging in your home?

Here is what you need to do:

We ask that you consider making a donation of $5.00 or more.
If you choose to donate, simply use our "CLICK TO DONATE" button below and you will be directed to the Half The Sky donation page that was set up for this event. Your donations are going directly to Half The Sky, which is a non profit organization that makes a difference in the lives of many children that reside in orphanages throughout China. It is also possible to enter without donating. To do that, leave a comment that includes your name and email address so we can contact you should you win. All winners must have a shipping address in the United States or Canada.

You have until 11:59pm Eastern Time, Tuesday December 20th to enter.

Good luck and I wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone that has supported me through this event and through my photography classes this year. Without all of you, I would not be able to giveback and make these wonderful contributions and support Half the Sky.

A special note: All donations made to Half the Sky at this time will be matched by Jenny Bowen, the founder of Half The Sky and two of their Board Members. Jenny has recently won the 2011 Purpose Prize and has decided to match all contributions made to their foundation until they accumulate $375,000
How exciting and generous is that?
You can see Jenny's video HERE. WOW, what an inspiring and amazing woman. If you have a few minutes, it is something you will definitely want to watch.

Please be sure to check in on Stefanie and Diana to see the fun new items they are featuring today. We only have one more give-away day to go!!

December 18, 2011

I can never write a post without including a photo and felt like this post could use some holiday cheer.
Reagan was not even home two months when this photo was taken.
Isn't it amazing the difference a year can make?

CONGRATULATIONS to Chanda, Karen, and Dardi and thank you to everyone that donated and entered.

It has been so much fun giving you all the chance to win some really fabulous gifts and at the same time raising money for these amazing organizations that really do make a difference in lives of these precious children. So many of us have children that were sponsored by or came from orphanages that were run by these organizations and we know first hand the good that comes from programs that were put into place by foundations such as Half The Sky, Pearl River Outreach, and An Orphan's Wish. It feels pretty great to know that collectively we are all doing something to support them. Every dollar makes a huge difference.

We cannot thank you enough for all the support we have received with this event and the willingness to give back this holiday season. It is really heartwarming to see what we have done in just a few weeks.

Enjoy your Sunday! Only two more giveaway days to go. We will be back tomorrow with the our next featured items.

December 16, 2011

In our effort to condense, you are going to get a two for one today!!
Two fantastic Etsy shops featured, two fabulous people who offered our winner two $50 Gift Cards to spend.
Miss Emme Jade(one of Diana's beautiful daughters)is wearing this adorable outfit that was made by one of our featured shops.

MissMollyMac Designs specializes in Custom Kids clothing. You can click her logo above and you will directed to her store where you can browse all of her beautiful creations.
I borrowed a few photos from her site to show you some of the great items she has available.

This is a peasant top, paired with a pair of her ruffled denim pants.
I love those ruffled pants and you could pair them with almost anything!

I know a darling duo that would look very sweet in these custom made tops:)

She has so many really cute things, doesn't she?

Well, you have the opportunity to win a $50 Gift Card to spend at MissMollyMac Designs, thanks to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is a Mom who that has been very inspired by adoption and when she learned of our event wanted to contribute or help out. She is a big fan of MissMollyMac and offered to donate a gift card.
Isn't that so sweet of her?

Don't go anywhere yet.... There's more!!

My friend Shelly, who is an adoptive Mom to 3, very soon to be 4 gorgeous children, is also the owner of Mei Faith Studio. If you click her logo above, you will be directed to her Etsy shop where you will see some of her exquisite pieces.

She offers a large variety of beautiful handmade necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and artwork.

Shelly has generously donated a $50 gift card to her studio so the winner can choose what they would like.

I could easily spend that $50, how about you?

Do you want a chance to win both of these fantastic gift cards?
The lucky winner will receive $50 to spend at MissMollyMac Designs and $50 to spend at Mei Faith Studio.

Here is what you need to do:

We ask that you consider making a donation of $5.00 or more.
If you choose to donate, simply use our "CLICK TO DONATE" button below and you will be directed to the Half The Sky donation page that was set up for this event. Your donations are going directly to Half The Sky, which is a non profit organization that makes a difference in the lives of many children that reside in orphanages throughout China. It is also possible to enter without donating. To do that, leave a comment that includes your name and email address so we can contact you should you win. All winners must have a shipping address in the United States or Canada.

You have until 11:59pm Eastern Time, Saturday December 17th to enter.

Good luck to everyone and THANK YOU to both my friend Shelly and to Elizabeth for generously donating these gift cards.

Please be sure to check in on Stefanie and Diana to see the new items they are featuring today.

Last weekend we decided to change things up and instead of building a gingerbread house, we made gingerbread men. I made the dough for cut out cookies and baked them. Once they were cooled off, I let the girls decorate them.

OH MAN, did they have fun.
They made a huge mess, but it was worth it. Just look at the smiles on their faces.

Of course Reagan was the first one to take a bite:)

They went a "tad" overboard with the icing and sprinkles and decided that their cookies did not taste quite as good as the ones Mommy made. I was not as heavy handed as they were!!

We never made it to see Santa, so that is on the list for this weekend!
Slowly but surely we are getting there. Cookies were baked, Christmas cards are done and out. Now I just need to finish shopping and wrapping. One more week to go...... I can't believe it!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Special thanks to my good friendJodee who sent the girls these adorable "R" and "S" Christmas Shirts!!
They are so fun and festive....and totally cute. We love them.

December 15, 2011

First of all, let me say, WOWZA!!
You all have managed to turn this "Fill Their Stockings With Hope" event from "Good to GREAT", in just two short days! We could not feel more blessed by the number of you that have been so kind and giving this holiday season.

To date, we have not shared where we are with our fundraising efforts or how much each item has brought into our organizations, but today we felt it was important to share the love so you can see for yourselves how much we are helping those left behind.

Do you want to take a guess at how much money you all donated for the "Surprise Spectacular Giveaway" alone?

Let me tell you, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that we would raise.......

Are you ready for this?

$5,392

Collectively, between the three of us, $5,392 came into our organizations.

We were all sitting here watching the donations come in one right after another in disbelief. The last few days have been nothing short of miraculous. Half the Sky, Pearl River Outreach, and An Orphan's Wish have benefited greatly because of YOU! We cannot thank you enough for your generosity!

I know you are all on the edge of your seats waiting for me to get to the good part, THE WINNER!!!

Without further ado, let me tell you who the lucky winner is.......

Congratulations Chanda S, you are the winner or our IPad2/$500 Gift Card Give-away! Stefanie, Diana, and I could not be more thrilled for you and hope that you enjoy your new gift!

Again, thank you to everyone that entered and supported us with your more than generous donations.

There are still a few more days to go with this event and great prizes to be won.

We did some rearranging last night and as we are quickly approaching Christmas, we felt the need to condense our last few items. We are only going to have three more days of giveaways; Friday the 16th, Monday the 19th, and Wednesday the 21st will be the last day.

Yesterday's featured items are still open for entries until Midnight tonight!

December 14, 2011

Unique and Absolutely Adorable Hair Accessories!

Rachel, who is also an adoptive Mom, is the owner of today's featured store, Little Lesiw.
Have you ever seen her fabulous hair accessories?
Click HERE to visit her website and look around at the gorgeous fabrics she uses to create these intricate hair pieces, she calls "Blooms".

"Every so often, you come across something little that makes you feel really good. It could be a special sweater, a great pair of shoes, and now hopefully, a Bloom. Our Bloom Collection was created with ‘everyone’ in mind. Soft fabrics, fun colors - each Bloom will make you smile and brighten your day - no matter what your age!" ~Little Lesiw~

Aren't they just beautiful?

Rachel has offered one lucky winner $100 gift card to use in her store!!

Want a chance to win it?

Here is what you need to do:

We ask that you consider making a donation of $5.00 or more.
If you choose to donate, simply use our "CLICK TO DONATE" button below and you will be directed to the Half The Sky donation page that was set up for this event. Your donations are going directly to Half The Sky, which is a non profit organization that makes a difference in the lives of many children that reside in orphanages throughout China. It is also possible to enter without donating. To do that, leave a comment that includes your name and email address so we can contact you should you win. All winners must have a shipping address in the United States or Canada.

You have until 11:59pm Eastern Time, December 15th to enter.

Good luck to everyone and THANK YOU to Rachel for generously donating this fantastic gift card. I also wanted to give a shout out to Sara Parsons Photography, Tonya Daily Photography, and Liz Brown Photography. They were the photographers who took these beautiful photos of the pretty Little Lesiw models.

Please be sure to check in on Stefanie and Diana to see the new items they are featuring today on their blogs.

Winners from all items featured this week, will be posted on Sunday!

We are getting really close friends!!
If you have not checked my little thermometer, it has sky rocketed in the last two days. That goal is well within reach and it's all because of you and your willingness to help and give back to the children still waiting in China.
Gosh, I am just totally blown away and extremely grateful......... Y'all are the best!
Saying thank you just doesn't seem like enough.....

December 12, 2011

I am bursting with excitement about today's offer!!! This is the give-away extraordinaire....
And it's all because of a very generous and special Daddy who has a huge heart for adoption. Although I don't know him personally, I have been following his wife's blog for years and the love he has for her and his girls shines through in each and every photo and post. He donated this amazing give-away to help Diana, Stefanie and I raise money for the children touched by "Fill Their Stockings With Hope!" There will be one lucky winner chosen from all of you who participate!

That IPad2 would make a great Christmas gift, so would that $500 Gift Card!
Who could not use a $500 Gift Card to Apple or Best Buy?
The possibilities of what you could purchase are endless!!

To enter to win we ask that you consider making a donation of $5.00 or more. To donate, simply use the "CLICK TO DONATE" button below and you will be directed to the Half The Sky donation page that was set up for this event. Your donations are going directly to Half The Sky, which is a non profit organization. If you can't donate, it is also possible to enter. To do that, leave a comment that includes your name and email address so we can contact you should you win. All winners must have a shipping address in the United States or Canada.

The iPad2/$500 Apple or Best Buy Gift Card Giveaway will end at 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, December 13th. The winner will be chosen at random from all entries made here on my blog, on Stefanie's blog, and Diana's blog.

Good luck to everyone entering and a HUGE THANK YOU to the "Special Daddy" who so generously donated this spectacular gift.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jann, Diane, and Susan and thank you to everyone that donated and entered.

It has been so much fun giving you all the chance to win some really fabulous gifts and at the same time raising money for these amazing organizations that really do make a difference in lives of these precious children. So many of us have children that were sponsored by or came from orphanages that were run by these organizations and we know first hand the good that comes from programs that were put into place by foundations such as Half The Sky, Pearl River Outreach, and An Orphan's Wish. It feels pretty great to know that collectively we are all doing something to support them. Every dollar makes a huge difference.

We cannot thank you enough for the outpouring of support with this event and the willingness to give back this holiday season. It is really heartwarming to see what we have done in just two weeks.

Enjoy your Sunday and please be sure to stop back tomorrow morning....
We will be presenting you with a "Fill Their Stockings BONUS".
It is something you will not want to miss!!!

She has recently figured out how to help herself to anything she wants in the pantry. I thought we were safe here because the handles were too high for her to reach. Ummmm, that did not stop her......she figured out what she needs to do to get in. Smarty pants!

Love her chubby little hands clutching the box, her cheeks stuffed full of Wheat Thins, and that mischievous look on her face! These photos just make me laugh out loud every time I see them.
She is something else.....

December 9, 2011

BEAUTIFUL PERSONALIZED, HAND-STAMPED JEWELRY!!

Over the last year, I have met some really amazing women as a result of all the photography classes I have taught. Kim, the owner of Wheat and Wildflowersis one of them! She is truly a beautiful person inside and out and is extremely talented.

Not only is Kim an adoptive Mom, but she also has her business set up to give back to those left behind. She has designed necklaces for specific charitable organizations such as; An Orphan's Wish, Grace & Hope for Children, Love Without Boundaries, and Henan Kids International.
You can read more about it by clicking HERE.

She offers a very LARGE selection of gorgeous hand-stamped jewelry.
Take a look at some of her most popular pieces.....

Aren't they pretty?

Today, Kim has very generously offered for one lucky winner to receive a $100 Gift Card to be used in her store! You can pick out anything you see shown on her website, or you can have her create a personalized piece just for you.

This is my "Visions of Hope" necklace that I had Kim personalize for me earlier this year. I absolutely love this necklace and wear it as often as I can. To me it is a constant reminder of Reagan, her beginnings, the children that are still waiting in China, and the project that I worked on throughout this year. It is a very special piece that I wear proudly.

If you have a love for jewelry, or need a unique gift for someone special in your life, we ask that you consider making a minimum donation of $5.00. It is also possible to enter without donating. To do that, leave a comment that includes your name and email address so we can contact you should you win. All winners must have a shipping address in the United States or Canada. If you choose to donate, simply use our "CLICK TO DONATE" button below and you will be directed to the Half The Sky donation page that was set up for this event. Your donations are going directly to Half The Sky, which is a non profit organization that makes a difference in the lives of many children that reside in orphanages throughout China.

You have until 11:59pm Eastern Time on Saturday, December 10th to enter.

Good luck to everyone entering and THANK YOU to Kim for generously donating this fantastic gift card!

Please be sure to check in on Stefanie and Diana to see the new items they are featuring today on their blogs.

Winners from all items featured this week, will be posted on Sunday, so don't forget to stop back and see who won!

The girls were all warm and cozy enjoying a pj day when Sarah decided she wanted to dress up like a ballerina, so she headed for the box where we keep all of her dress up clothes. Reagan was right there with her looking for an outfit so she could be a ballerina too. Her leotard was a little big(it's Sarah's).... but it worked and as soon as both of our "prima ballerinas" were in costume, they headed straight for their favorite Nutcracker.
He is musical and they have been playing with him from the minute he was pulled out of the box:)

With Christmas just around the corner, the excitement level is at an all time high.
Last year was Reagan's first Christmas, but she was still a little shell shocked and not really sure what was going on. This year she gets it and she gets so very excited over the littlest things. It has been really special to watch the magic of this season unfold through the girls' eyes. I can only imagine what Christmas morning will be like when they come down the steps and see what is under the tree!!

We have lots of activities we want to do before Christmas. We are hoping to see Santa this weekend and also want to attempt making gingerbread houses. Sarah has been begging me to do this, so I think this weekend I will let them decorate until their heart's content.

While they are spreading frosting and placing candies on their GB Houses, I will be addressing Christmas Cards.
I have procrastinated long enough and now I need to get them done.